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11 Flowing Sand River

Bajie put the handkerchief on his head as told and called, "Mother, ask the sisters to come out." The woman called inward, and there came the sound of ornaments and the fragrance of orchid and musk, as if immortals were passing. Bajie said, "Mother, the sisters are too slippery; I didn't catch a single one. Why don't you take me instead?" The woman said angrily, "What a son-in-law, so disrespectful! Since the heaven-match failed, put on one of my daughters' undershirts; whose shirt fits, she will marry you." She handed him three undershirts. Bajie took off his blue cotton robe, picked up an undershirt, and was about to tie it when with a "pop" the undershirt turned into several ropes that bound him tightly. The pain was unbearable; he looked for the woman, but she and her daughters had vanished. The Tang Monk, Wukong, and Sandy woke to find themselves sleeping in the open, the manor gone without a trace. The Tang Monk and Sandy were puzzled. Wukong smiled. "The mother and daughters yesterday were some Bodhisattva testing us; they left in the night. Only Bajie suffers." Sandy saw a note hanging on a nearby tree and brought it to his master. It read: "The Old Mother of Mount Li has no worldly thoughts; Guanyin of the South Sea invited her down the mountain. Samantabhadra and Manjushri are guests too, transformed into beauties in the wood. The holy monk has virtue and is free of vulgarity; Bajie lacks Zen and is full of worldly desire. From now on calm your mind and reform, or slackness will make the road hard!" It turned out that Guanyin and three other Bodhisattva had manifested themselves to test the four travelers' Zen minds. When the Tang Monk finished reading, he pressed his palms together and bowed. From deep in the woods came Bajie's cry: "Master, save me!" The three entered the woods and saw Bajie hanging from a tree, writhing in pain. Wukong teased, "Fine son-in-law, so late and still not up to thank your bride, nor reporting the happy news to your master, but playing here. Where is your mother? Where is your wife?" Bajie hung his head in shame. Sandy could not bear to see it and hastily untied the ropes and lowered Bajie. Bajie was overcome with shame and knelt to kowtow to his master. Wukong showed him the note, and Bajie felt even more ashamed; he could only bow toward the sky. Bajie said, "From now on this disciple will never dare act recklessly again; even if my bones break, I will follow Master to the Western Heaven to fetch the scriptures." The Tang Monk encouraged him, and the four set out again, journeying westward. To know what follows, see the next volume: "The Ginseng Fruit."

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